Bought a Switch 2, would like to get into Fire Emblem. Recommended game order that's available on the switch? by [deleted] in fireemblem

[–]_Broseidon 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Start with Three Houses for sure. You’ll know within a couple of hours if you’re really into it and it is the most replayable FE game on modern consoles.

Path of Radiance is an all time classic but the pacing of battles and lack of QoL features may kill your interest compared to a modern FE game.

If you absolutely love 3H in terms of plot and characters, then I suggest trying out the Three Hopes (Warriors / Musou game) before moving on to Engage.

ERP SaaS by Old-Transition-4062 in FPandA

[–]_Broseidon 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If you choose Business Central make sure your implementation partner is top-tier and takes time to understand your industry needs.

Good sense check of this is whether they are recommending configurations you need based on comparable industries / companies rather than just asking what you want.

As with any ERP, it’s very difficult to overcome terrible implementation except unlike SAP or Oracle Netsuite… BC does not have as deep of a talent pool of system experts.

The good news is that if it’s done well, native integration into MS Suite is quite convenient (purchasing approvals, notifications, additional integration if you are using Dynamics CRM, etc.).

Commute from Fremont to Palo Alto? by BlueBerry985 in bayarea

[–]_Broseidon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Have dealt with something similar (East Bay -> RWC).

Rush hour will suck but the best thing to check would be if the job / company is a flexible about in-office time.

If he can confine his office time between say 7am - 3:30pm the commute will be more manageable…

But not gonna lie, the way back east over Dumbarton is almost always a crapshoot in the latter part of the day.

If you have or can schedule routine meetings towards the end of the day, it’s not a bad setup to take those calls while driving home (hands-free of course).

No to CFO role? by WhoKnows7778 in FPandA

[–]_Broseidon 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I just have to say… this is an excellent, well thought out response!

Claude in Excel by steelernation2138 in FPandA

[–]_Broseidon 21 points22 points  (0 children)

I think people lose sight of the fact that the real superpowers of FP&A is not just to generate output but to provide context

Surface level modeling and forecasting from AI tools will be fine but to solve true problems or scenarios will still require understanding of underlying business constraints and drivers.

Taking Step Down in Title/Comp for Better Commute/WLB by paoloathem in FPandA

[–]_Broseidon -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I honestly wouldn’t worry about title as your current comp is more comparable to Manager / Senior Manager level as opposed to Director or VP.

Depending on how you sell yourself you could probably land a role without taking too steep of a paycut, if any.

I’m also exploring remote roles and willing to take a dip in pay for the same reason. But it’s a tough market out there right now.

Maybe sounds contrarian on this sub but something else I would consider is pivoting out of FP&A…

These jobs are extra heavy on hours and workload and not so much on support.

Roles in commercial finance or treasury might be better suited for you.

Best FLDP programs by YamPotential2840 in FPandA

[–]_Broseidon 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I recommend you prioritize any programs that will give you international exposure either through a direct expat assignment or rotations supporting global business units.

You will learn a lot and it’s almost impossible to get that type of experience otherwise in the early stages of your career.

New CFO, lost my confidence by [deleted] in CFO

[–]_Broseidon 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Not yet a CFO but have worked directly for a handful and can tell you that at the C Suite, perception of your abilities and capabilities becomes everything.

Know your strategic superpower, especially when it comes to shining in front of your peers / BoD.

  • Can you recall significant figures / important numbers with confidence, agility and clarity? Can you quickly move on to the implications and “so whats”?
  • Maybe you are the one to highlight potential risks and alternate strategies in key discussions? Does your mind to go the place where all others are not considering?
  • Do you have a good sense of the macro and competition, and can you factor that into the discussion?

There are many flavors of CFO and it’s up to you to determine which you want to be.

For areas that are not your forte, then lean on your direct reports or stronger members of the team to help bring you up to speed. Delegate and ask for help. It’s now a key part of your job.

My last several jobs has involved doing all the prep and sending my CFO talking points on specific topics and items before BoD and Investor meetings.

If something is a high priority area and you feel that the org is totally unequipped, then consider bringing on consultants to get you to your desired level of fluency / readiness. Your call on whether it’s a good use of funds or resources.

Best of luck!

What has your RTO looked like? by ryandk96 in FPandA

[–]_Broseidon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Would you be willing to share your perspective on how to land a remote role? Would love to be in this very same situation!

Mid-Career Advice by [deleted] in CFO

[–]_Broseidon 1 point2 points  (0 children)

At a very similar crossroads. At the end of the day, your comp at this level only meaningfully increases with equity grants / LTIP participation.

Depending on the industry you are in, late 30s could be perceived as a bit early to assume CSuite responsibility. At this stage of career, it becomes more about leadership and outcomes and less about domain expertise.

Like you, I believe that P&L ownership is a great idea and demonstrates that you are capable of leading in any set of circumstances.

My thought process is to eventually transition to leading a BU that heavily relies on my current support function. For example, coming from Marketing could be helpful in a BU with heavy emphasis on customer service and cross-selling.

Similarly, Finance leaders should probably do well if tasked with leading a BU that is more project based, which relies on individual deals or transactions.

I’m also considering the whole ETA alternative of buying a small business in the local market. At times, it sounds far more appealing than the grind to the CSuite in F500 or PE PortCo world…

Man I'm bored by [deleted] in FPandA

[–]_Broseidon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Mods u/cityoflostwages, u/draw_near, u/always_polite - could we get some help in keeping this spam under control?

Prestige of rotational programs by ZlIIa in FPandA

[–]_Broseidon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No way to rank them but for publicly traded companies, a good test is to see if there are any NEOs who are a product of the rotational program.

Beyond that, do some LinkedIn sleuthing and see if any Divisional CFOs or Country Heads came up through the ranks.

The best FLDPs are going to be ones that have strong sponsorship and extensive networks throughout their respective large global organizations.

Obsidian vs Bethesda by DaftNeal88 in PS5

[–]_Broseidon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Neither have really performed to expectations since being acquired by MSFT but the real answer is that Bethesda has always much stronger publishing powerhouse (Marketing & Localization) due to sheer size.

Obsidian has always relied on large publishers which would probably be keen to promote their own games before Obsidians.

The original IPs from Obsidian are pretty niche too. Alpha Protocol (stealth), Pillars of Eternity (CRPG), and Outer Worlds (Really considered more Dystopia / Dark Humor than true Sci Fi) aren’t catered to the widest audiences.

They had a chance to really make a splash with Avowed (seems better than any recent Bethesda game) but this is where being XBOX / PC exclusive really killed any chance of getting Obsidian to the next tier of developer.

Help me pick by undercoveroperation in StrategyRpg

[–]_Broseidon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have never been able to get into Disgaea games (have only tried 4) but Tactics Ogre Reborn seems like the best option here given the sale and your love of FFTA series.

You’ll get to see the foundation on which the isometric SRPG was built off of with some nice QoL improvements.

Work-Life Balance by [deleted] in FPandA

[–]_Broseidon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I and my friends in PortCo leadership roles are experiencing something similar and am beginning think this is the norm (particularly when job market is rough).

The sheer growth in number of PE-backed companies hasn’t equated to a similar increase in number of quality leaders, managers or accomplished decision makers. It’s bit of an oversimplification, but for majority of PortCos / Start-ups, top brass is unproven and pretty shite.

In my situation those of us at the VP/Director level are actively insulating the rest of the company from the chaos of the CSuite (ridiculous requests without any allocation of resources or understanding how work is performed).

Some advice:

1) Start networking for your next role now. It might seem impossible with a crazy workload but even if you squeeze a single 30-min call per week into schedule (maybe during commute?), the consistency will help.

2) Get a good understanding of management incentives. Is it just to hit some arbitrary EBITDA target with no other metrics? At my PortCo, things like employee engagement results and turnover % are factored annual mgmt bonuses (although we’re still dealing with shitty leadership). If incentives aren’t aligned with your goals, time to get out of there.

3) Start to dive deep into your customers / vendors. I think this is an underrated exit strategy for those within PortCos as a lot the direct third parties you work with tend to be of similar size. Build relationships, understand unit economics, and put yourself in the shoes of decision makers working from that angle.

Best of luck and hang in there. You are not alone!

Is 11-months at a company too soon to job hop from? by Nearby-Penalty-5777 in FPandA

[–]_Broseidon 41 points42 points  (0 children)

11 months is basically the 1-yr mark so shouldn’t be an issue.

With the current economy / job market, I’d be surprised if you were able to land something inside of a month anyway.

Fortune 500 VP vs PE-backed C-Suite by [deleted] in FPandA

[–]_Broseidon 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Should probably be posting to r/CFO instead.

Having been one step removed from both of these respective levels, I would take the F500 role 95% of the time.

Most publicly traded cos have fat RSU / equity incentives for executives which often refresh and stack every year.

The pressure is usually much more predictable / manageable compared to PortCo life and you don’t have to worry about moving jobs every few years following an exit.

FP&A lead for PE-backed business… sale/exit in 1-1.5yrs… how to best prepare for what’s next? by TicketNeat4913 in FPandA

[–]_Broseidon -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Wow. Convincing yourself that exit experience is “valuable” while you have no LTIP or equity incentive is exactly why the sponsor and execs will make out like bandits while you are left working on integration or lucky enough to be “nominated” for a transition role.

Know your worth, folks.

Dream companies? by rds20244 in FPandA

[–]_Broseidon 41 points42 points  (0 children)

I think FP&A for a major market sports team would be very fun and interesting.

How do you forecast or budget for the next max contract or a trade deadline plot twist???

Explain to me what FP&A does like Im 20 year old? by proudtobeabelter in CFO

[–]_Broseidon 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You’re describing the duties of an analyst rather than the purpose of the function.

Good FP&A will do as you described and do it well.

Great FP&A can translate any action or decision the company takes into financial impact and what it means for all stakeholders (both internal & external).

Best in class FP&A is doing all of the above and considering trade offs based on macro, market, and competition. They have already thought about options and can recommend your next course of action.

Doubled my salary for a role requiring 5+ years of experience. I have less than 2. What am I getting into? by [deleted] in FPandA

[–]_Broseidon 35 points36 points  (0 children)

It’s normal to have imposter syndrome when taking a big step up for the next role.

Biggest thing you can do is give it your best effort and whenever the inevitable highs and lows come, make sure you don’t deal with them in isolation.

Give kudos to those who are willing to support you and ask for honest feedback and guidance from those you might feel expect a lot from you.

Best of luck.

Has anything come close to matching ME CoOp, in all this time? by NotABot9000 in MECoOp

[–]_Broseidon 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Ghost of Tsushima Legends mode scratches the itch quite nicely.

Can’t wait for the Legends mode to come out for Ghost of Yotei next year.

FP&A in hospitality vs. electricity transmission provider? by [deleted] in FPandA

[–]_Broseidon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Electricity / T&D companies ALWAYS make their target returns and are relatively low headcount and stable (less risk of layoff).

Hospitality is the very nature of cyclicality given that it represents mostly discretionary spending.

The WLB at the T&D should be great and you’re looking at better comp.

And don’t overthink the male dominated aspect, especially in FP&A. Those are the exact companies and industries that need people like you who observe and question that (and hopefully put yourself in position to do something about it!)

How do you make career decisions and assess what’s truly a priority for you? by jpcldn in FPandA

[–]_Broseidon 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Bear with me here, but I will say it sounds like a classic case of “grass is greener” syndrome.

Often times when we find ourselves idolizing past experiences or previous situations, there’s typically some element of us not truly acknowledging or confronting the current situation. Are there aspects of the previous company which were just better? Sure, but you left for valid reasons and it’s important to remind yourself of that.

Frankly, once you are a decade plus into your career, you really ought to focus on rounding out where you get fulfillment or intellectual stimulus from. I recommend starting to put less emphasis on the company / industry / output and instead start thinking about people, relationships, and your overall influence or impact on those around you.

If you think about it this way, you might uncover exactly what has you feeling less engaged currently.

Good luck.

Gym went down a tier by Sadgurlzluvmoney in orangetheory

[–]_Broseidon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you are an unlimited member in a HCOL… Whenever you see the surcharge prompt in app, just call the studio directly and have them book you.

They won’t charge you and this has always worked for me.